Police have dropped cases against two of the organisers of last week’s #TotalShutdownMarch against gender-based violence in Pretoria.
They were charged with violating their permission to march, including refusing to vacate the Union Buildings at a specific time.
Thousands of women under the Total Shut Down movement marched across the Pretoria CBD last Wednesday and handed over a memorandum of demands to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings.
The march was one of many which took place across the country.
Police management says it is surprising that cases were opened as it was not informed of any transgressions before, during and after the march.
Police Spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo says they are instead investigating at least four cases of alleged violation that protesters opened against the police.
“We most definitely have to open an inquiry to determine and try to establish why it was opened and who opened…the opening of this case is contradictory to the report that was provided to the national commissioner which initially didn’t mention anything about any transgressions by the protestors, so it’s very surprising,” says Naidoo.
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